Ventnor Winter Gardens: Delegated Decision Made: Hambrough Group Gets Buy Option

VB readers will remember a couple of weeks ago, we announced news of the delegated decision report for the disposal of the Ventnor Winter Gardens.

George BrownAs Cllr George Brown, the man who says yes or no, was on holiday at the time, news of his decision has been delayed until now.

A delegated decision notice has just been released by the council, revealing “THAT the disposal of Ventnor Winter Gardens to Robert Thompson’s Hambrough Group on the terms set out in Appendix D (embedded below for your convenience) of the report, be agreed.”

Significant investment
The reason for the decision, rather than one of the other options, was “To support the Council’s key corporate priority of Regeneration and the Economy, by enabling a significant investment in the site by Robert Thompson’s Hambrough Group and produce anticipated direct and indirect employment in the Town.”

Other bidders rejected
Other options considered but rejected were

  • Option (2) – Agree to the disposal of Ventnor Winter Gardens to Robert Thompson’s Hambrough Group on the terms set out in Appendix D amended such that the auditorium is to be retained for the purposes shown for a period of twenty (20) years.
  • Option (3) – Not agree to the disposal of Ventnor Winter Gardens to Robert Thompson’s Hambrough Group.
  • Option (4) – Terminate negotiations with Robert Thompson’s Hambrough Group, appoint the next best bidder to be the preferred bidder and commence negotiations with it for the disposal of Ventnor Winter Gardens.
  • Option (5) – Undertake a new marketing exercise for the disposal of Ventnor Winter Gardens without any restrictions on its use.

An appendix of representations received and responses given by the council is embedded below for your convenience.

Should other IW councillors oppose the decision the call-in period expires at 5pm on 15th September.

Update 16:38: Altered headline

Ventnor Winter Gardens Record of Decision Appendix

Appendix D
Ventnor Winter Gardens Report Appendix D

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dav1
24, March 2024 1:31 pm

A more positive bunch of locals, enthusiastic and innovative seeking solutions that prooritise people, would be hard to find! An innovative way to try to engineer better representation into our unrepresentative first past the post system. There are tens of thousands of island residents who have never in their lifetime been represented in parliament by anyone remotely representing their views [I, in my sixties, am one of… Read more »

karen
Reply to  dav1
24, March 2024 5:19 pm

Slightly worried about the timeline though for this. If the gov’t chooses, it could leave just 5 weeks between calling and voting day. Not looking like Labour has an E Wight candidate yet, and not sure the others have either.

Tamara
24, March 2024 8:41 pm

Well done, Charity and Mobes for not giving up when the Lib Dems pulled out and for finding another way to carry on. You’ve worked so hard to raise awareness of this excellent initiative and support is building. Your meetings were very well organised and your presentations clear and inspiring.This set-back gives us time to get even more constituents involved.

elemental
25, March 2024 7:52 am

Well done, those involved, for your efforts to increase community engagement over upcoming Elections, which affect us all: “I don’t do politics” is a very common response; which sadly, ‘won’t stop Politics doing you’ as the saying goes. The fact that the perceived main party candidates were either banned by their Executive, or uninterested in participation, shows precisely why a new electoral system, based on public information… Read more »

karen
Reply to  elemental
25, March 2024 9:49 am

Not strictly true, Labour plans to scrap non-dom tax avoidance.

wightwalker
Reply to  karen
25, March 2024 10:07 am

Is that a major consideration for Island voters? A prospective candidate would be a good start.

Angela Hewitt
25, March 2024 8:16 am

If nothing else they will get more people our voting – but be careful what you wih for?
Make a big thing about ID so no one is turned away at the ballot box

ovener
25, March 2024 9:23 am

How many wards did the Greens and Lib Dems field candidates in for the 2021 IOW Council elections.? Have a look – because they do not take much of an interest in the E Wight.

BigG
25, March 2024 2:13 pm

Completely agree with the espoused concept – to find a way to re-engage the utterly disillusioned, distrustful and disenfranchised vast majority of UK Citizens/Voters, particularly those on the Island. However, I am distrustful when phrases such as ‘engineering’ outcomes are used and concerned the debates do not include all sections of the Voting public, it seems. It’s all very well stating certain political elements are not attending… Read more »

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